


2x2

by Mortimer_Dead_Sea



Series: 1, 2, 3, 4 Series [2]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Angst, Based somewhat loosely on manga events, Can I just masquerade the OOC as headcanons?, Canonical Character Death, M/M, Manga Spoilers, Mentions of past non-canonical character death, Multi, Nonbinary Hange Zoë, Potentially OOC, Pretty much fluffy angst, Then fluff, mentions of past canonical character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-02
Updated: 2016-10-02
Packaged: 2018-08-19 01:06:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8182978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mortimer_Dead_Sea/pseuds/Mortimer_Dead_Sea
Summary: "Levi looked down at the corpse that sat lay in front of him, feeling his eyes itch. Not again, this couldn’t be happening, what on earth did ever he ever do to piss of the universe, what did he ever do to deserve to have this happen to him again, and again, and again."
Another person is placed on Levi's long list of dead loved ones and he's left to relay the message to another.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So I got some good feedback on the first story in the series and I had a couple of other ideas to go with it so I've decided to write some of them. This is the first one that got written.
> 
> There may be more in the future.

Levi looked down at the corpse that sat lay in front of him, feeling his eyes itch. Not again, this couldn’t be happening, what on earth did ever he ever do to piss of the universe, what did he ever do to deserve to have this happen to him again, and again, and  _ again. _

“Levi.” He looked over at Hanji, who was looking at him tentatively. They couldn’t tell what was running through his mind, but at the very least they knew it couldn’t be good. “Are you ok?”

No, of course he wasn’t, what was Hanji even thinking to even consider the fact that Levi was ok. He could have saved him, he had wanted to, but Erwin hadn’t. There were bigger things, Erwin knew, but to Levi, there was nothing bigger, nothing more devastating than watching the blonde man before him die. He was one more on a list that was already far too long.

He said none of that though, not wanting to dump it all on Hanji.

So he settled on the one question that weighed the heaviest on his mind. “What am I going to tell Nile?”

Hanji looked pitying, almost guilty as they spoke. “Unfortunately, the truth.”

Levi simply nodded, not even looking at them.

Too many people. It was too many people.

\----

The expedition hadn’t ended with that, and there had still been a lot of business to take care of when Levi got back; they had been able to bring Erwin’s body back with them, which Levi was thankful for. He would be honored along with the rest of the fallen soldiers, and being able to bring back a body wasn’t something that could be done often, it was a luxury Levi had never gotten.

It was a luxury Nile had never gotten.

He grimaced as he stood on the front steps of the house they shared. He wasn’t sure if he was ready for this. He had done this before, he had been the one to tell Erwin that Mike was dead, and he had helped Nile cope with the loss of losing someone.

But this wasn’t something you got used to. Not death, not funerals, not having to tell loved ones. Levi almost wanted to feel numb, but he wasn’t that lucky.

He opened the door and stepped inside. Stripped off his boots, his harness, his jacket, his cravat, everything hung up properly, neatly folded. The house was as spotless as ever; Erwin had always been used to Levi’s need to clean, and Nile had learned not to make a mess.

Nile. He was waiting somewhere inside, waiting for him and Erwin to come back.

He had been so nervous when they left; Nile was good at looking indifferent, completely apathetic when other people were around, but when it was the three of them, he always seemed more nervous, scared to let them go.

Erwin had told him not to worry, that they would be fine, wanting to put his mind at ease as best he could. Nile had looked like he wanted to believe him.

Erwin should have known better, Levi thought as he walked down the hall, socks padding lightly against the stone floor. He should have known not to make promises, he  _ had  _ known better, knew he could die at any time.

He wondered why Erwin had, asked himself as he stood in front of the door to their room. At one point in time, Erwin, Levi, and Mike had all shared a room. When Mike died and Nile came back, they had three separate rooms; Levi and Nile had hated each other and Erwin wanted it to be fair for everyone.

But then they had all shared a bedroom again, once Nile and Levi got their shit together. Now it was just a room for two.

He opened the door, his gaze immediately met with Nile asleep on the bed, back facing him. Levi knew Nile had gone to speak to the Commander-in-Chief that day, but must have come home at the news that the Survey Corps had returned; he was probably exhausted after everything that had been happening. Levi wondered if he should let him sleep, but for his own sake, he had to get this out now.

He crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed, resting a hand on Nile’s shoulder, shaking him ever so slightly. Nile roused slowly, groaning quietly, stretching as he laid there, bleary eyes finally opening. His head turned, and he smiled at Levi. He looked so relieved to see him. Levi felt sick.

Nile sat up slowly, stretching his back as he did so with another quiet groan. He rubbed at his right eye, ran that same hand through his messy hair.

“Hey,” he finally greeted Levi, voice soft and scratchy. Then he was looking around, and Levi knew what came next. “Where’s Erwin?”

Levi paused for a moment, words caught in his throat. He remembered telling Erwin that Mike had died, Erwin sitting in that hospital bed, exhausted, armless. He remembered Erwin saying that he had to tell Nile, and how Levi had felt furious. Every since Mike had told Levi that Erwin, Mike, and Nile had all been in a relationship, Levi had been curious. When Erwin and Mike unveiled the whole story, Levi had been livid, hated Nile for what he had done. When Erwin told him he wanted to tell Nile that Mike was dead, Levi had wanted to scream that he didn’t deserve to know.

But here he was now, and he had to tell Nile.

“He got wounded on the expedition,” Levi told him, voice tentative. He tried to at least keep it steady, but even after all these years, his voice kept wavering. “He didn’t make it.”

Nile almost looked confused for a second, but then it was hitting him like a slap in the face, a punch in the gut, like his stomach was trying to climb his way up his throat, eyes widening, shaking his head.

“No, that…” Nile grasped at his words, nearly gagging on them. “He can’t be… He’s Erwin… He’s-”

Invincible, was what he almost said. He remembered when he had believed Erwin and Mike to be invincible, how the idea had shattered the the news of Mike’s death. They weren't invincible, nobody was.

Levi was silent, letting Nile work through it.

“How did it happen?” Nile eventually asked.

“A soldier got him,” Levi said.

All the sorrow on Nile’s face disappeared, his face confused, a little surprised, and then suddenly darkening, glaring angrily, but not at Levi, even though he was staring directly at him.

“Who?” Nile asked, voice hard, scathing. “I’ll  _ kill  _ them.”

Levi sighed. “Unfortunately, you can’t solve all your problems by trying to shoot people.”

Then Nile was glaring at him, but it was the kind of glare that told Levi he was right and Nile knew it. First Eren, then Erwin, and finally now, Nile seemed to be a little trigger happy, not one to fully understand how to deal with what his emotions were doing.

Then Nile practically collapsed in on himself, head dipped, body shaking.

“God dammit,” Nile said, voice still scratchy, tremoring now. Levi felt his eyes start to itch again, and he moved forward, Nile’s arms immediately wrapping around him.

Levi had always hated how short he was; everyone had always towered over him. But if there was one thing he was thankful for when it came to his height, it was the fact that he so easily curled into his boyfriends’ laps. It had always helped and now was no exception.

Nile leaned against the wall, holding onto Levi tightly. Too many people. Isabel and Farlan, Petra, Gunther, Eld, and Oruo, Marie and their three children, Mike and Erwin. It was too many people.

They weren’t invincible, nobody was. Nile knew that now.

“Don’t die,” he said.  _ Don’t leave me alone. _

He couldn’t promise that, Levi knew. But in that moment, he understood why Erwin had.

“I won’t,” Levi said.

There was a long silence, neither of them sure what to say.

“I suppose there could be a bright side to this,” Nile eventually said.

Levi looked up at him, disbelief written across his face. “Enlighten me, will you?”

“Well, while we have each other,” Nile said. “Mike now has Erwin.”

Levi’s disbelief vanished, replaced by surprise. He wasn’t sure he believed in any sort of afterlife, but the idea that Isabel and Farlan, his squad, Mike and Erwin, they were all up there, watching them and praying for their safety, hoping for their victory, it made Levi hopeful as well. He would keep fighting, for those who had died and for himself and Nile, hoping maybe one day they could see what lay beyond the walls. He wanted it, Erwin had made him want it years ago, and Nile was making him want it now.

“If we get out of this shitstorm and past those walls alive, marry me,” Levi said.

Nile was clearly surprised; that was probably the last thing he had expected to come out of this conversation.

“Are you serious?” Nile asked.

“Have you ever seen me crack a joke like that?” Levi retorted.

“Well…” Nile sputtered slightly. “Why do you want to wait?”

“Do you really think everyone would just let the Commander of the Military Police and the Survey Corps’ Lance Corporal get married without batting an eye?” Levi shot back. “Once we’re beyond the walls, all titles will drop and none of that will matter anymore, and we can do as we wish.”

Nile had to admit he had a point. “Ok. If we make it out of here, we get married.”

Levi gave a curt nod, emotions rushing into overdrive. He rested his head against Nile’s chest again, hearing his erratic heartbeat. He felt a light kiss on top of his head, and they said nothing more.

**Author's Note:**

> The way it ended wasn't where I intended for it to go, but it happened. *throws confetti* 
> 
> Feedback is always appreciated, of course.


End file.
